Bishop Calls on Commissioned Lay Ministers to be Evangelists

SAGINAW - Bishop Joseph R. Cistone celebrated Mass for the Commissioning of Lay Ministers on Sunday at the Cathedral of Mary of the Assumption. 

Eight men and women stood before Bishop Cistone and were commissioned for the first time. In addition, 50 others re-committed themselves for another three years and 17 men and women were granted permanent status as commissioned  lay ministers. More than 300 commissioned lay ministers serve among the 105 parish communities of the Diocese of Saginaw. 

In his homily, Bishop Cistone challenged the commissioned lay ministers to become evangelists with the local Church.

"I truly believe that we need to develop our programs, our attention and our sight on our brothers and sisters, who, for whatever reason, are no longer worshiping with us," he said. 

"If we are truly missioned and commissioned to preach the Good News, then to whom better can we do it than our brothers and sisters who have lost a sense of the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and the grace of the Sacraments in their lives? Where could we do any better work than that?"